Rolf's SBF -> 318iS e36 Swap

[MvnTgt]

I said I'd get started on this eventually...

The car is a '93 318iS with a broken engine and transmission.

Where I'm at right now:



The errant powerplant and transmission:


The reason for yanking said powertrain:



That hole isn't supposed to be there (bad for lubrication) and I doubt
JB weld will do much.

This engine will go back in place of der busted engine with some tweaks (TW aluminum heads, EFI conversion, serpentine front dress etc)



It will be mated with this T5 transmission:



That, that, that's all for now

[mateo m3]

looking good

[MvnTgt]

Sun, Jul.3/2011

I spent a little time in the garage and got the hydraulic slave cylinder mounted. I made a change of slave cylinder based on a recommendation
on here ('81 280Z Non-turbo) so I had to slot the holes slightly. I also stripped the engine harness off the dead engine and grabbed the oil
pressure and temperature sensors for transplant to the 5.0. Lastly, I took the 5.0 off the dolly and stuck it on the engine stand.



I'll worry about the rod length and preload when I mate the engine and transmission.



I think I'm going to have to order some more parts.
For the sake of quickly getting the exhaust fabbed, I bought a used exhaust system from a '97 325i and plan on hacking off the front part and just worry about the header-to-catback tubing for now.

[PJ325i]

Strong work!!

[MvnTgt]

I've been stuck at work (12hr shifts) the last 4 days so I haven't had any time to work on this project thus nothing to report. I did yank off the cast iron water pump
and billet v-belt crank pulley tonight before it got too dark. I need to swap water pumps to make it a serpentine/reverse rotation front dress so it's a good excuse to open it up.

I bought the engine "as is" so I don't know what internals it's got. I was told the original owner of the engine had it dyno'ed at 300hp when it was still installed in his wife's
Mustang. That's all well and good but I still want to take a peek inside and see what's been done to it (it'd be nice to know what kind of pistons were installed etc).

I have the reverse rot/serp front dress and pulleys I removed from some '90s era Ford truck as a "just in case" way before I bought this project (lucky for me). The only iffy thing is the timing chain cover has a broken off piece where one of the long thru bolts goes through the pump, the timing cover and then threads into the block. I might still use it or I might get another one...dunno yet.

[Fendbass22]

I also used the '81 nissan slave the second time around. Works so well and only $15. Thanks Arath!

Keep going... its worth it!

**** Very important****
Attach your clutch line to the slave before installing with a VERY tight 90* angle and even that may not fit in the tunnel. I ended up having to fab a new bracket and mount it upside down. I can take pics next time I am under the car.

[MvnTgt]

Fendbass22, I will keep the slave clearance thing in mind and thanks for the heads-up. I saw your vids and all I can say is "That's just ridiculous" and " I want that too".

This is my first foray into Bimmerland but like on another infamous forum (c-c.com) Mustang guys tend to migrate to BMWs and once I get this thing going, maybe I'll understand all the hoopla.

[NcTurnL]

Did you guys still use the adjustable rod meant for the CNC slave on the 280z slave, and everything adjusted/worked fine? And did the clutch line also meant for the CNC slave ( stated in the swap manual) also work on the nissan slave? Thanks!

[MvnTgt]

Yup, that's what I will be using but can't say anymore than that.

[NcTurnL]

awesome. good info guys! subscribed!

[MvnTgt]

Take a look here about midway down the page:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...496109&page=10

[NcTurnL]

nice. but he said that he used a different shaft for the slave? i wonder if thats just becsusr he has an e30. they might be alittle different.

[MvnTgt]

I pulled the oil pan, intake and one of the heads to get a look at the condition
of the engine:






I then did a basic check of the cam lift numbers with a dial indicator:




Some of the lobes have slightly different lifts but since this IS a used engine and cam (hydraulic flat tappet),
I won't get too bent out of shape.

It's got a fairly decent lift once the rocker ratio is taken into account (~0.500" intake/~0.470" exhaust).

The heads are D00E-Bs with some porting done to them so they are also decent. However, I have some TFS TW street heat heads sitting in boxes. :devious:

I bought some "modeling clay" to do a PTV clearance check:



Fire Engine Red, School bus yellow etc. Decisions, decisions.

Slight money shot:

[ncracerxxx]

I hope you're going to freshen it up? That's a smoker!!!
Is that a roller cam motor???

CR

[MvnTgt]

It's a '68 block from the casting number on the underside so no, it's not a roller block (it does have some advantages over the thin-wall roller castings though) . Howevah, I
do have a set of TFS link bar hyd roller lifters I could use. I was going to save them for another time.

Hmm, when I yanked the head and saw the condition of the cylinders I was not real happy, truth be told, but was going to use this engine as is and hope for the
best. I might have to reconsider. When I measured one of the cylinders, it looks like it's already been bored out 0.030".

The annoying thing is, I have a leakdown tester I could have used before pulling the head. <grumble grumble>.

Vat to do, vat to do...

[ncracerxxx]

I don't know what you have or don't, but by the time you get that short block fixed up and get all the front dress for the motor, you could have bought a fresh crate motor!!!!

That's a real project motor.... You would be better of with a HO motor from a stang with the front dress on it.

I don't think roller lifters will work with a non roller cam...

Dude, you don't need a leak down tester too see all the oil buildup on the piston crowns, that thing was sucking oil!!!!

CR

[MvnTgt]

Just to clarify, I bought the engine, transmission, car and two boxes of misc parts as
a whole. I did not know the condition of the engine when I bought it and neither did the guy I bought it from. That's why I did the teardown
to inspect the engine. If it's a dud (and that's how it's looking I guess), so be it and I'll have to find another shortblock to continue or spend
some money getting this one rebuilt. It's just going to slow me down not stop me.

I've done a few projects in my past and I'm not going to get worked up by this sort of thing. Car projects take time and cost money. <shrug>

ps: link-bar roller lifters are used to convert a non roller block (aka no provisions for the spider holddown bolts or dog-bones) to be able to
use a roller cam.

[ncracerxxx]

Sorry, I didn't mean to belittle you, just trying to help out.
If you use your rollers in that block, you still have to change the cam right?

I'm no expert on 5.0's or e36 swaps, but don't you also have to use the front dress from a 5.0 HO stang? Will all the accessories bolt up to the older style block?

You could rock it old school and use the 4bl on the highrise and put a scoop on the hood

CR

[MvnTgt]

Yes, I'd have to change to a roller cam if I used the roller cam link bar roller lifters. Roller cam. :p

The alternator/air pump/belt tensioner bracket is the same between the 5.0HO and the pickup truck as far as I can tell. The power steering pump/ac bracket is all one piece. The
reason I want to go with the F150 front dress is because F150s are way, way, way more plentiful at the pull-a-part than Mustangs aka 5.0 Mustangs are non-existent there.
The front dress will bolt on though the older cast iron heads have smaller threads on the passenger side (3/8" I believe). This isn't a big deal since I will be using the TW heads eventually.

Funny enough, the guy I bought this project from was going to go 4bbl.

With regards to the iffy condition of the engine, I wil just press on lest I
fall into the "paralysis by analysis" trap. I can still use it to make progress on the mockup even if I don't run it. I can pull it apart later once I am done the fab work.

[NcTurnL]

I have another question... (sorry, don't mean to thread jack). The E36v8 website says that the 92-93 harness is the easiest to use. Has anyone used any mustang 5.0 harness from 89-91? And how much harder was it to install it, and what changes did you make?? Thanks!

[ncracerxxx]

I have another question... (sorry, don't mean to thread jack). The E36v8 website says that the 92-93 harness is the easiest to use. Has anyone used any mustang 5.0 harness from 89-91? And how much harder was it to install it, and what changes did you make?? Thanks!

Isn't the later a MAF Sensor harness?

CR

[NcTurnL]

They are all maf sensor harness. Maf harnesses started in 89. The 92-93 harness has the fuel pu
p relay. While the 90-92 didn't.

[ncracerxxx]

They are all maf sensor harness. Maf harnesses started in 89. The 92-93 harness has the fuel pu
p relay. While the 90-92 didn't.

So I guess you answered your own question???

CR

[NcTurnL]

Nope. I'm wondering what it would take to install a harness without the fuel pump relay (90-91). Instead of using the ones with the fuel pimp relay (92-93).

[ncracerxxx]

Nope. I'm wondering what it would take to install a harness without the fuel pump relay (90-91). Instead of using the ones with the fuel pimp relay (92-93).

Quick search says the fuel pump relay was under the seat on the earlier models, so unless you have the interior part of the stang harness it won't work. The later was under the hood next the MAF.

What you can do is wire up you own relay to the switched hot of the ignition.
Looks like pin 22 of the ecu is teh ground side....

http://fordfuelinjection.com/?p=6

CR